The mishaps of what is different
by looneytails
Summary: An insight on Nico Di Angelo's mind. "Different was good, he decided, because it was real."


**Ok, before we begin, I would like your attention and a bit of your good will, because I have two things to inform:**

**1)** I'm looking for a Beta Reader, someone that would like to read my work before I've finished it, or before I've published it, in order to make sure everything is correct and the story has a nice flow.

****2)** **I've started a Percy Jackson Forum called **Through the Mist**, since some of the ones I saw weren't updated in a long time and they didn't really try to spark interest on their public. I hope I can change that and bring people to discuss our favorite fandom again.

**Now, to the story!  
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><p><strong>The mishaps of what is different<strong> by larissa.

"_Could we change our attitude, we should not only see life differently, but life itself would come to be different."_

Katherine Mansfield

Nico Di Angelo wasn't a normal kid. He knew it since the beginning of his life, though he wouldn't admit it until years later. He had never experienced a normal life and it bothered him sometimes, because life wasn't fair for those who were different.

Still, not only was he different, he was a child of darkness.

He had discovered such fact at a very tender age, right after the death of his sister. It wasn't a surprise. He had never felt at home, never felt secure on Camp Half-Blood, nor wherever he was. Even with Bianca by his side, it had still been difficult for him to stay around people and try to be normal.

Nico wasn't normal. Far from that, really.

After the death of Bianca, he had felt emptier than ever. It was like his heart had been torn apart and nothing could ever bring it back together.

The camp was left behind as he tried to relieve the pain, to forget that his sister was gone and that Percy Jackson had made him a promise he hadn't kept. Alone, lost on the depths of the world, he would crumble, letting his grief appear for a non-existent audience.

Sometimes, it would feel as if all the air had been pulled out of his lungs and he couldn't breath. Nico stayed for hours on the ground, dark eyes unfocused as he tried to clear his mind from all the sorrow. Never before had he been completely alone and the idea terrified him more than words could explain. Despite his brave façade, he was still too young, too weak to handle the hardships life seemed so keen on sending his way.

In sadness, anger and hopelessness, Nico would cry.

The boy was still very young, lost on a new world that he didn't know, and that seemed everything but friendly towards him. Looking back, Nico still couldn't believe he'd survived. All his instincts had suddenly taken over and he would do things out of nowhere, as if it was natural to him. His new powers were surprising and Nico realized he was deeply afraid of his own abilities.

The adventure on the Labyrinth of Dedalus was a very confusing experience. It had changed his whole vision of Percy Jackson and it somehow enlightened him about his sister's death. Despite the pain that was still there, the gap had started to heal.

He had, then, found his father.

Hades was nothing like what he thought a father should be like. He was distant, rude and a bit cruel. He would, sometimes, get this look in his dark eyes that made Nico tremble. The boy knew what his father was thinking at these times. He was thinking about his mother and sister and how Nico had survived when they hadn't.

The boy knew this because it was exactly what came to his mind everytime Hades stared at him with those flaming irises.

The underworld wasn't much of a home either. He could deal with the dead and the place did make him feel closer to his family, but it was almost unbearable to handle Persephone's and Demeter's antics. His stepmom would always snicker at him in disgust, never caring enough to try and get to know him, nor to speak to him in any way.

In a sense, he understood. Nico was the living proof of her husband's infidelity and, so, she could never bring herself to be gentle towards him.

The first time he actually felt normal was when he accidently crashed Percy's birthday party. Nico had appeared at the Jackson's house with a plan to help the Poseidon's son on his fight against Kronus. The blue cake had surprised him because, except for a cupcake Bianca would always get on his birthday, he had never actually been to a birthday celebration.

Sally Jackson had said it wasn't much, just a bit of good food and company, since they didn't want the date to go by unnoticed. In Nico's opinion, there was nothing better.

The boy spent the rest of his afternoon eating cake and ice cream, and listening to Sally's stories and Paul's jokes. It had been strangely refreshing to be with such caring people, enjoying their company without having to worry about their real intentions. By the end of the day, he had already told Percy his plan and was ready to leave when the older boy scratched the back of his neck, a bit unconfortable, and asked if he would like to stay for the night.

"There will be blue pancakes for breakfast and I'm sure mom would find a way to get you any other colour you'd like for yours." Percy had said, smiling. Noticing Nico's disconfort, the other had put a hand on his shoulder. "Common, you're kinda family, aren't you?"

That statement had dazed him so much, Nico found himself agreeing on one night.

It wasn't as strange as he would have imagined. Percy's family was easy to hang around and they'd been able to completely take Nico's mind out of the fact that he didn't really belong.

After that, though, a long time passed before he met Percy again.

Truly, Nico really did mean to help his friend, but he just couldn't let the idea of knowing something about his mother pass with such ease. And so, he had attracted Percy, his friend, his _family_, to a trap.

Percy was obviously hurt, feeling betrayed by someone he had only tried to help.

Hades' son remembered feeling his chest burn with guilt, understanding that he had been too blind by such a possibility to see that his father was not to be trusted. With a painful sigh, Nico realized he wasn't either.

And, then, it was done. Percy was invincible ― mostly ― and the final battle had finally come.

It had taken a long time to convince his father. Hades was one of the most stubborn people ― er, gods ― he had ever met; always trying to withheld information from his son, trying to pretend that the falling of the other gods wouldn't also mean the end of _his_ reign.

They'd fought, and several were the times Nico thought his father would finally lose it and destroy him. His words had hurt the god in ways he hadn't predicted, but the boy didn't regret them. Not when Hades was acting like such a coward, and trying to make him into one as well.

In the end, it seemed, Hades knew he needed to honour Maria and Bianca Di Angelo just as much as Nico did.

The battle itself was a blur. Things had happened so fast that the twelve year old boy found it hard to proccess it all. He knew the peace he felt in his soul wouldn't last, there had been too much violence, too much loss for him to remember those times fondly. Still, the sense of pride about what they'd done, what _he_'d done, would always be there.

Sincerely, Nico would rather the battle remained a haze.

The aftermath, though, was as clear as it could be. He remembered the look in his father's eyes as he sat by his feet in the Olympus, the way he'd felt as he saw all his friends ― yes, his friends ― wait as the gods talked. It was almost surreal, the fact that he, Annabeth, Percy, Grover and Tyson ― was it his name? ― were at the Olympus, receiving praise from their godly parents. And, suddenly, Nico understood _that_ was his place. He had finally found a family, people he truly cared and he wasn't about to lose them.

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><p>"It's weird, isn't it?"<p>

Nico looked to his right side, finding a grinning Percy.

"Yes, it is." The younger boy answered, his eyes shinning with something akin to happiness, though he didn't smile back.

"Are you going to stay with the rest of us now that you'll have your own cabin?"

Nico's face contorted into doubt and he took a deep breath, remembering the times when he'd felt so out of place in the camp. Things certainly weren't the same anymore. Everybody was always smiling at him, or saying that they had never seen such a cool army. Aparently, helping to save the Olympus had changed the way the other demigods saw him.

"Maybe during the holidays, when you and Annabeth are also there, but I think I'll stick to the Underworld for a while." Nico answered in an absent minded manner. "I have a feeling things are about to get better, Percy."

Just as the Poseidon's son was about to say something, though, a girl dropped by Nico's right side and smirked at the two boys, blue eyes analysing them.

"Hey there, _cousins_." She laughed, as if the concept was just too absurd to be taken seriously. "Annabeth insists on me calling you guys that. _As if_."

Thalia smirked, but there was a certain fondness hidden in her startling eyes. Percy didn't seem to miss it, because he pushed her shoulder softly.

"Common, we know you love us." He made a kissy-face as the other two rolled their eyes. "Just don't let Lady Artemis find out or we're screwed!"

Nico crossed his arms, leaning against his chair with an indifferent expression.

"Talk about yourself, I can get away from anyone, any time. Shadow traveling, remember?"

Thalia nudged him with her elbow, making him jump and almost fall off his chair.

"Yeah, really difficult to get you." She commented in a sarcastic tone that had Percy doubling over with laughter. "Now, shut up, because Annabeth is coming and she needs to think we're at least civil with each other or she will be nagging me for the rest of my visit."

With that, Nico grunted in a defeated way and they pretended to be talking about the renovations that were being made back at Camp Half-Blood. Later, Grover would also join them in the coffee place. They would laugh, talk, and act as if they hadn't just fought a war, as if they were just normal teenagers, a family of sorts. Nico would get Percy's shirt covered on cocoa, Percy would pour ice water onto Grover and Thalia would shock everybody so they would stop arguing.

The boy finally smiled, thinking, for the first time, that it was okay that he wasn't normal, because this was his life and, at that moment, it couldn't have gotten any better.

_Who cares if some things have gone wrong?_, Nico thought as they were thrown out of the coffee shop and Annabeth reprehended Grover for eating the napkins.

No other twelve year old could say that he had won a war against Kronus with the daughters of Athena and Zeus, the son of Poseidon and a satir by their side.

Different was good, he decided, because it was real.

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><p>So, guys, what do you think? I swear I tried to keep them on character. I just love Nico so much that I had to make him a happy ending. I hope you liked it. Reviews are welcomed! Any errors, please inform.<p> 


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